Barack Obama elected as America’s first black president - Nov 04, 2008 - HISTORY.com Barack Obama elected as America’s first black president Share this: Barack Obama elected as America’s first black president Author Barack Obama elected as America’s first black president URL Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 2008, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois defeats Senator John McCain of Arizona to become the 44th U.S. president, and the first African American elected to the White House. The 47-year-old Democrat garnered 365 electoral votes and nearly 53 percent of the popular vote, while his 72-year-old Republican challenger captured 173 electoral votes and more than 45 percent of the popular vote. Obama’s vice-presidential running mate was Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, while McCain’s running mate was Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, the first female Republican ever nominated for the vice presidency.

Obama, who was born in 1961 in Hawaii to a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya, graduated from Harvard Law School and was a law professor at the University of Chicago before launching his political career in 1996, when he was elected to the Illinois State Senate. He was re-elected to that post in 1998 and 2000. In March 2004, he shot to national prominence by winning the U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Illinois, and that July he gained further exposure when he delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, which included his eloquent call for unity among “red” (Republican) and “blue” (Democratic) states. That November, Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate in a landslide. On February 10, 2007, in Springfield, Illinois, Obama officially announced his candidacy for president. A victory in the Iowa caucuses in January 2008 made him a viable challenger to the early frontrunner, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, whom he outlasted in a grueling primary campaign to claim the Democratic nomination in early June 2008.

During the general-election campaign, as in the primaries, Obama’s team worked to build a following at the grassroots level and used what his supporters viewed as the candidate’s natural charisma, unique life story and inspiring message of hope and change to draw large crowds to his public appearances, both in the United States and on a campaign trip abroad. His team also worked to bring new voters–many of them young or black, both demographics they believed favored Obama–to become involved in the election. Additionally, the campaign was notable for its unprecedented use of the Internet for organizing constituents and fundraising. According to The Washington Post: “3 million donors made a total of 6.5 million donations online adding up to more than $500 million. Of those 6.5 million donations, 6 million were in increments of $100 or less.” In terms of campaign issues, Obama pledged to get the United States out of the war in Iraq and expand health care, among other promises. A crushing national financial crisis in the months leading up to the election shifted the country’s focus to the economy, and Obama and McCain each attempted to show he had the best plan for economic improvement.

On November 4, more than 69.4 million Americans cast their vote for Obama, while some 59.9 million voters chose McCain. (Obama was the first sitting U.S. senator to win the White House since John Kennedy in 1960.) Obama captured some traditional Republican strongholds (Virginia, Indiana) and key battleground states (Florida, Ohio) that had been won by Republicans in recent elections. Late that night, the president-elect appeared before a huge crowd of supporters in Chicago’s Grant Park and delivered a speech in he which acknowledged the historic nature of his victory (which came 143 years after the end of the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery): “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer… It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America.” Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009.

On November 6, 2012, he defeated Republican challenger Mitt Romney to win a second term in the White House. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Get This Day In History every morning in your inbox! The Inauguration of President Barack Obama - Photos - The Big Picture - Boston.com The Inauguration of President Barack Obama Yesterday was a historic day. On January 20th, 2009, Barack H. Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America - the first African-American ever to hold the office of U.S. Commander-in-Chief. The event was witnessed by well over one million attendees in chilly Washington D.C., and by many millions more through coverage on television and the Internet. Collected here are photographs of the event, the participants, and some of the witnesses around the world. ( 48 photos total ) The Capitol is illuminated in the early morning hours before the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC.

(David McNew/Getty Images) 3 This image provided by GeoEye Satellite Image shows Washington D.C.'s National Mall and the United States Capitol (top), in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 taken at 11:19AM EDT during the inauguration of President Barack Obama. The image, taken through high, wispy white clouds, shows the masses of people between the Capitol and the Washington Monument. (AP Photo/GeoEye Satellite Image) # 6 Barack H. Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States as his wife Michelle Obama holds the Bible and their daughters Malia Obama and Sasha Obama look on, on the West Front of the Capitol January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Chuck Kennedy-Pool/Getty Images) # 7 President Barack Obama delivers his inaugural address after being sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts as the 44th president of the United States as the 44th President of the United States of America at the Capitol January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC.

(Jim Bourg-Pool/Getty Images) # 11 People watch a big television screen broadcasting Barack Obama being sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 during a ceremony at the Paris town hall in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon) # 15 Villagers of Nyang'oma Kogelo, the Kenyan village where 44th US President Barack Obama's father was born, react as they watch on a giant screen inauguration ceremony of US President Barack Obama, on January 20, 2009. Thousands of people from around and beyond Kogelo, including foreign tourists gathered at Nyang'oma village to celebrate the inauguration of Obama. (TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images) # 19 US Army Command Sgt. Maj. Julia Kelley, left, of the 229th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, weeps as she watches the inauguration of US President Barack Obama at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan.

20, 2009. # 22 Keith Hart, center, a Vietnam Army veteran, cheers as he watches Barack Obama be inaugurated as president, on television with other patrons of the Oxford Bar in Missoula, Mt., one of the oldest bars in Montana, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Albans) # 23 Vertie Hodge, 74, weeps during an Inauguration Day party near Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in Houston on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 after President Barack Obama delivered his speech after taking the oath of office, becoming the first black president in the United States. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Mayra Beltran) # 25 President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle stand with former US president George W. Bush and Laura Bush on the steps of the US Capitol following the inaugural ceremony for Obama as 44th US president in Washington on January 20, 2009. (EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images) # 26 Former President George W.

Bush and Laura Bush wave as they board a Marine helicopter at the Capitol in Washington after Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) # 27 A Marine helicopter with former President George W. Bush on board departs from the East Front of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington, as President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife wave goodbye from the steps of the Capitol. (AP Photo/Tannen Maury, Pool) # 32 Kenyans who gathered at the grounds of the University of Nairobi to watch in giant screens the inauguration ceremony where Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America celebrate the ocassion on January 20, 2008. Barrack Obama's father was born in Kenya.

# 33 40 years after their silent protest at the 1968 Olympics, Gold Medalist Tommie Smith hugs Bronze Medalist John Carlos, and their wives Delois Smith and Charlene Carlos after Barack Obama is officially sworn in as the President of the United States. Photo taken in the Smith room at the Sheraton Boston in Boston, MA. (Boston Globe/Stan Grossfeld) # Obama to Make History as 44th US President Obama to Make History as 44th US President November 02, 2009 11:20 AM Share Email to a Friend Print Barack Obama will make history on January 20 when he is inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States and becomes the first African-American to hold the job. In the wake of his election victory in November, Mr. Obama promised to follow through on a campaign pledge he made when he began his presidential quest nearly two years ago. "It has been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America," he said.

But the president-elect has also made it clear that his first priority will be a massive government spending plan designed to jolt the weak U.S. economy back to life. "A world that depends on the strength of our economy is now watching and waiting for America to lead once more," added Mr. Obama. "And that is what we will do." Mr. Obama comes into office at a time when the country faces great challenges at home and abroad. The president-elect is expected to use his Inaugural Address to reassure Americans about the country's economic future, much as President Franklin Roosevelt did during his first inaugural in 1933 in the Great Depression. "So first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," said Roosevelt. Given his already legendary oratorical skills, Obama supporters also expect the president-elect to be inspirational in his Inaugural Address, perhaps along the lines of President John Kennedy's famous call to public service at his inaugural in 1961. "And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country," said Mr. Kennedy.

Presidential inaugurations have long been seen by the public as one of the enduring symbols of American democracy. "We do not have that many rituals in American politics. And the inauguration ritual is very important because it marks the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another, and in this case from one party to another," said Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian at the American University in Washington. Past presidential inaugurals have often been seen as markers of change and political shifts in the United States. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan used his Inaugural Address to underscore his basic philosophy of relying less on the government and more on private enterprise and the power of individuals. "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem," said Mr. Reagan. Like President Reagan, Mr. Obama faces the daunting task of turning around the U.S. economy as his number-one priority. Brookings Institution scholar Stephen Hess says that while Mr. Obama does face great challenges, solving those problems also presents the new president with opportunities. "He has this most remarkable agenda and that in itself is the opportunity for greatness.

You look at the history of the United States, and when we talk about great presidents, think back in retrospect, they were all great presidents at very important moments," he said. Mr. Obama is already headed for the history books because of his status as the first African-American president. Allan Lichtman says that fact will not be forgotten in the celebrations surrounding his inauguration. "The White House itself was built by slaves, and now we have an African-American in office far earlier than most experts would have expected. Barack Obama is a true phenomenon in American politics," he said. "And he seems to have transcended race. He campaigned as the candidate of all Americans, not the candidate of black America." The impact of Mr. Obama's inauguration will also extend far beyond the borders of the United States. Expert Stephen Hess says the unprecedented international interest in this year's presidential campaign should continue into the early months of Mr. Obama's presidency. "And he has the roots in the Pacific, not only in our Hawaii, but in Indonesia. He has got the African roots with his father," said Hess. "All of the world feels they have some connection to this new president of the United States. Mr. Obama begins his presidency with a measure of public good will.

Recent polls show public approval for his handling of the presidential transition and suggest that many Americans, at least early on, have confidence in his ability to lead and unify the country. President Barack Obama | whitehouse.gov President Barack Obama Other Advisory Boards President Barack Obama Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story -- values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. Download Hi-res (1256 KB) Barack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank.

After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants. He went on to attend law school, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, he returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community. President Obama's years of public service are based around his unwavering belief in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents. As a United States Senator, he reached across the aisle to pass groundbreaking lobbying reform, lock up the world's most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online. He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009.

After being re-elected in 2012, President Obama is currently serving his second and final term, which will end in January 2017. See photos from the President's second inauguration here. President Obama and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Learn more about President Obama's spouse, First Lady Michelle Obama . Follow President Obama on Twitter at @POTUS . Send questions, comments, concerns, or well-wishes to the President or his staff online using this form . If you want to send a written letter, find out how to do that here . Barack Obama: Life in Brief—Miller Center About the Administration Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States—becoming the first African American to serve in that office—on January 20, 2009. The son of a white American mother and a black Kenyan father, Obama grew up in Hawaii. Leaving the state to attend college, he earned degrees from Columbia University and Harvard Law School. Obama worked as a community organizer in Chicago, where he met and married Michelle LaVaughn Robinson in 1992.

Their two daughters, Malia Ann and Natasha (Sasha) were born in 1998 and 2001, respectively. Obama was elected to the Illinois state senate in 1996 and served there for eight years. In 2004, he was elected by a record majority to the U.S. Senate from Illinois and, in February 2007, announced his candidacy for President. After winning a closely fought contest against New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination, Obama handily defeated Senator John McCain of Arizona, the Republican nominee for President, in the general election. When President Obama took office, he faced very significant challenges. The economy was officially in a recession, and the outgoing administration of George W. Bush had begun to implement a controversial "bail-out" package to try to help struggling financial institutions. In foreign affairs, the United States still had troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. During the first half of two years of his first term, President Obama was able to work with the Democratic-controlled Congress to improve the U.S. economy, pass health-care reform, and withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq.

After the Republicans won control of the House of Representatives in 2010, the President spent significant time and political effort negotiating, for the most part unsuccessfully, with Congressional Republicans about taxes, budgets, and the deficit. After winning reelection in 2012, Obama began his second term focused on securing legislation on immigration reform and gun control. When the Republicans won the Senate in 2014, however, he refocused on actions that he could take unilaterally, invoking his executive authority as President. In foreign policy, Obama concentrated during the second term on the Middle East and climate change. Barack Obama Essays Citation Information Chicago Style Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “Barack Obama: Life in Brief.” Accessed January 17, 2017. ­/president/biography/obama-life-in-brief. Consulting Editor Michael Nelson Professor Nelson is the Fulmer Professor Political Science at Rhodes College, a senior fellow of the Miller Center, and the senior contributing editor and book editor of the Cook Political Report.

He is the author of multiple books on American politics and government, including: Resilient America: Electing Nixon in 1968, Channeling Dissent, and Dividing Government (University Press of Kansas), which won the American Political Science Association’s Richard E. Neustadt Award for Best Book on the Presidency published in 2014 How the South Joined the Gambling Nation: The Politics of State Policy Innovation (LSU Press), which won the Southern Political Science Association’s V.O. Key Award for Outstanding Book on Southern Politics published in 2006 Barack Obama elected 44th President of the United States - Wikinews, the free news source Barack Obama elected 44th President of the United States From Wikinews, the free news source you can write! 22 January 2009: Photo source for Barack Obama presidential campaign "HOPE" poster discovered The 2008 Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois , 47, is projected to win at least 349 electoral votes, more than enough to clinch the Presidency of the United States . Obama is the first African American to be elected President in U.S. history.

His Republican opponent, Arizona senator John McCain is projected to win at least 173 electoral votes. McCain has phoned Obama to concede the election. Obama officially became the President-elect when John McCain issued his concession speech shortly after 9:00PM Mountain Time. President-elect Barack Obama. Image: United States Senate . The Electoral College will officially elect Obama on December 15 and he will be inaugurated as the 44th President on January 20, 2009 at noon. "We have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken and spoken clearly. This is an historic election and I realize the significance this has for African-Americans [...] Let there be no reason now, for any American should fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth," said McCain at a final event in Arizona. Barack Hussein Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu , Hawaii to Barack Obama, Sr. from Kenya and Ann Dunham from Wichita , Kansas . He grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia . He graduated from high school in 1979 and attended Occidental College and Columbia University , receiving his B.A. in political science in 1983.

Afterwards he moved to Chicago and worked as a community organizer. He enrolled in Harvard Law School in 1988, became the first black president of the Harvard Law Review , and graduated magna cum laude in 1991. He returned to Chicago, lecturing at the University of Chicago and practicing as a civil rights attorney. He was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1997, and became the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Illinois in March 2004. The following July, he delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, catapulting him into the national spotlight. He won election to the U.S. Senate with 70% of the vote. On February 20, 2007 he announced his candidacy for President and clinched the Democratic nomination on June 3, 2008, after a tense primary battle with Hillary Clinton . Obama is married to Michelle née Robinson , with whom he has two daughters. Contents 4 External links Victory speech At 05:00 UTC, Obama commemorated his victory with a speech to thousands in Chicago. He launched the speech by stating that his victory shows the power of democracy , the people and the United States.

He then stated that people voted for him because "people believe this time must be different." The new president-elect then praised the McCain campaign team for their work, before stating that the time for change has come. Obama then thanked people for their work in ensuring the victory. He thanked his family, and said that even though his grandmother has passed away, she would be watching his victory from heaven. He also thanked his campaign organizer, chief strategist and staff members who ensured his victory in this election. Obama then thanked the people who have donated or volunteered for his campaign. The new leader then said that an Obama government is a government of the people, for the people and by the people, before warning that there would be a long steep road ahead for his office, and stating that all his goals may not even be achieved in one term. He then pledged to be honest as leader before stating that the victory is not change, but an opportunity for change, and that people must work to achieve this in this "new dawn of American leadership."He added, "change is coming to America" while speaking in front of 65,000 people.

Results Teaching Resources for Barack Obama | Scholastic Back Teaching Resources for Barack Obama On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States and America's first African American president. Grades PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 Introduce your students to President Barack Obama by sharing these biographies for grades K-12. Read more about Obama's journey to the Oval Office , and put his victory in historical context using this "From Slavery to The White House" timeline . Then, have your students write a biography about America's first African American president. For a more hands-on learning project, ask students to create a timeline of President Obama's life using Timeliner XE , then use the students' timelines as a jumping-off point for discussion of his path to the presidency. You can also print this PDF of a timeline of Obama's Life and use scissors and tape to make a "Life of Barack Obama" classroom poster. With the economy in crisis, the nation at war, and America's image tarnished, Barack Obama had his work cut out for him.

Teach your students about the challenges that President Obama faced . Print out the special supplement, " America & the World: Challenges for the New President ," for an in-depth look at the issues. Younger students can chart the President's Busy First Day (grades 1-2) or become familiar with the vocabulary in the President's Oath of Office (grades 3-4). Older students can read President Obama's 2009 and 2013 inaugural addresses, then practice writing their own presidential Inaugural Address . Find out how our Teacher Advisors incorporated the Presidential Inauguration into their teaching. Check back daily at Scholastic News Online for the latest developments. × Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States 44th President of the United States Obama's Inauguration Speech Links to files of Obama's Inauguration Speech, given on January 20, 2009 at the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Watch Obama's Speech on this YouTube video: ***Please note that this is a rough recording; the speech begins at around 1.30 minutes. I'll load a cleaner copy as soon as I find one.

Link to a collection of photos , taken from The Seattle Times at and The New York Times at . Read Obama's speech below or follow this link to a printer-friendly copy of his speech: ObamaInaugSpeech.doc Text of President Barack Obama's Inaugural Address Text of President Barack Obama's inaugural address on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, as prepared for delivery and released by the Presidential Inaugural Committee... OBAMA: My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.

The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do. Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government. Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.

Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint. We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations.

We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it. As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.

We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood.

At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: "Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)." America , in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Below are a few photos from the Inauguration of Barack Obama at the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., January 20, 2009 Barack Obama is sworn in as President by John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court; his wife Michelle is holding the Bible that was used at Abraham Lincoln's inauguration; their two children, Sasha and Malia, watch their father officially become the first African-American President of the United States. Also looking on is Dianne Feinstein, Senator from the state of California. Above is the West Front of the U.S. Capitol building. This is where the swearing in ceremony took place. The Mall is the long strip of land that connects the Capitol Building with the Washington Monument. People started arriving as early as 3:00 AM. The pictures of the Mall below show how crowded it was. This guy had to be exhausted; the ground he's sleeping on is completely frozen and it was about 20° ! OK, here are a few pictures for me. The first one is of Muhammed Ali, one of my childhood heroes. He was a champion boxer.

This next picture is of the author Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor who wrote a book about his experiences. The book is named Night. OK, here are a few photos from the many Inaugural Balls that were held January 20, 2009. On the left, of course, are Barack and Michelle Obama. On the right is the new Vice-President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden. She's an educator with a keen interest in community colleges!!

Question: Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th and first African American President of the United States in what year?
Answer: 2009